Best ~100 headset?

Surround sound is a gimmick, better off with good quality stereo cans, I can't tell the difference at all tbh.
The Cloud series are great value at the price point you're looking at, but the Steelseries Arctis 5 is much better imo.
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/JkzZxr/steelseries-arctis-5-71-channel-headset-61443

TL/DR: The HyperX Cloud II (the one I'm guessing you're looking at) for $80 has a usb sound card with 7.1 virtual surround sound, and a detachable mic. For the price, the sound quality and overall build, it's decent. However, if your head &/or ear size are larger than average, you may encounter a problem with comfort, especially if you plan to use them for extended periods of time. Imho, comfort, as in never making your ears hurt, ever, ranks just as high in importance as any other criteria. Also, I feel I must agree for the most part with Chugalug in regards to surround sound on headphones. It's a point of contention for even many of the most experienced audiophiles. Steelseries Arctis 5 seem nice also, though tbh I'm not sure I'd recommend either.

If you already have headphones you're happy with, you could get a clip on microphone e.g. the v-moda boom pro which go for around $20, or even one from a cheaper brand (they range from $5 & up), and even add a 7.1 usb stereo audio adapter external sound card of your choice if you wish (they're mostly inexpensive; most headsets offering surround sound OEM similar USB cards from similar companies), and end up with a headset that may have better sound quality while still spending under $100.




Contd: Some basic suggestions if without headphones you're happy with: Superlux HD668B, Phillips SHP9500, Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Status OB-1 or CB-1 (based on respective Somic models)... or for ~ $130 - $200: beyerdynamic dt 770, 880(not as "fun", though an equalizer can remedy that), or 990 (some models can still be found bundled on Amazon, e.g. BeyerDynamic DT 990 Premium Headphones 32 OHM (483958) with Slappa HardBody Headphone Case, FiiO A1 Portable Headphone Amplifier (Silver) & 32GB MicroSD High-Speed Memory Card, currently for $189. There are also some decent Audio Technica bundled deals. Sennheiser HD 598 Cs @ $128 new, SE (open) @ $155. Some of the above mentioned are among the most comfortable phones in their range, as well as some of the best sound quality found for their prices. Though, fwiw, there are less expensive BD & Sennheiser phones worth looking into, also comfy with decent sound quality. Fostex T-50rp series, regardless of original, M2, or 3s, are among the most modded planar magnetic phones created, & among the most reasonably priced, but need real power to make them really shine. Btw, buying used can sometimes save considerable cash & possibly get u better sounding phones, just for the (added) price of new earpads you may prefer.

I know you don't want to go over $100. However, just the same, the following offer some of the best SQ, & are some of the most comfortable, reputable, & well built "headsets": Sennheiser Game Zero, Sennheiser PC 373D, Beyerdynamic MMX300, & MMX300 2nd Generation, possibly Audio Technica ATH-AG1 & ATH-ADG1 also. Turtle Beach, Creative, Logitech, & others are less expensive, but worth considering if on a budget & determined to get a headset.

Last note: If you decide to turn a pair of decent headphones into a "headset" by adding a microphone & whatever else you feel you need, you'd be doing yourself a favor. Quality headphones are pricey, many overpriced even. Gaming headsets tend to be overpriced for what you get even more so; designed for an audience that varies between those who've never heard the term "audiophile" & think flashy RGB lights & space age looking builds is what makes the headset, and those who value good sound but aren't aware they can make a better DIY headset for less cash & usually with better SQ.

That's an extremely long post that's overcomplicating so very much....
You're also mentioning some of 'the best' headsets which arguably some of are pretty crap, and others are way overpriced.
A modmic or separate mic costs about $40, very poor use of cash, a headset is the best option no doubt here.

@chug

while the post made by VS may be a little confusing and certainly could have been a bit more descriptive and laid out better, much of what is said does have merit.

i suppose giving options does make things more complicated, but is it not better to have choices and options.

a cheap headset is not going to have the mic quality of the modmic generally. whether its a good use of cash really depends on the users needs (such as recording quality over audible quality). keep in mind that there are certainly cheaper options available, the modmic is one of the better, pricier ones.

the best headsets VS listed are generally considered the best. most are built around well respected headphone models. most however are bass-light since this fits in with gaming-advantage. they will sound not as exciting but they are meant to. for instance, the adg1 is the same thing as an ad500x with microphone strapped on. the game one is a hd518/558. the zero/363d/373d are similar to the hd595/555/pc350se, the mmx300 (which is certainly overpriced, i agree) is an older dt770 premium design. this is not to say that other gaming headsets are bad per se but it really depends on what features and sound signature you want. larger better quality audio drivers will certainly trump more smaller cheaper drivers (2.0 vs actual surround headsets) on sound quality generally speaking, though may lack in other areas depending on your own preferences.

honestly, what works best for someone really depends on their own needs and preferences.

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virtual surround sound is a preference thing. some like it, some do not. i will say that it does distort the audio signal (volume, tone) from the original source to make things appear to be coming from a certain direction and distance. quite honestly though most good games already factor in distance to volume ratios and left/right balance with rear sounds having a different sound so this is not always needed. some games with poorer audio interface can certainly benefit however. keep in mind that you do not need to buy a headset with the capability built-in. you can do this free with razer virtual surround (though its the least popular option), with software on your pc (if your onboard audio supports virtual surround) or using a soundcard with the option available. virtual surround usb headsets just have a soundcard built into them which runs the software.

the hxc is certainly not a bad option for sub $100 though it is not the only one. sound quality is generally acceptable though of course they will not compare with higher end options. some of the options listed by the other posters are certainly decent depending on your needs.

i will agree that using headphones is certainly an option, depending on your needs. products like the hd518 and ad500x are sub-$100 and are highly respected. whether or not they are for you depends on your thoughts of add-on products, how much vocal quality is important and how simple you want your setup to be. headphones will give you more options while headsets are easier.

not much was said about sound signature. generally speaking bass-light models with a focus more on treble and mids will be more advantageous for fps gaming due to not covering up footstep audio with explosions and loud noises while at the same time lacking some of the fun-factor of hearing such things. v-shaped models are generally the most fun sounding (since details of treble and lows of bass are both prominent) but lose a bit to advantage. neutral models are fairly flat in signature and while the most accurate tonally might sound dull to some. bass heavy models (bass cannons) are not applicable to this. mid-heavy models are better for vocals and certain music types than gaming so are also generally not applicable here either.

open headsets and headphones with bigger soundstage will sound a bit more 3d, spacious and have greater depth to audio than closed sets. closed sets will passively block some sound from exiting and entering the headset. generally closed sets tend to be a bit more bassy than open sets but this is not always true.

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tldr:

hd518 ($55, neutral) or ad500x ($75, bass light) are good options if going with headphones

the moovmic ($22) or modmic ($55) are decent options for attaching a mic to any headphones. the zalman zm1 or neewer clip on 3.5mm lapel mic are under $10 and are adequate value if you are not looking for anything special.

if you needed a soundcard for virtual, the dg/dgx ($33) is a decent deal.

if going for headsets, the hyper x cloud core (non usb model) is great paired with a xonar dg. the onboard soundcard is so-so and had issues in the past (i think they are resolved now though). logitech, turtle beach and steel series also have decent models available. sound quality is generally half decent on them (depending on if you like the sound signature they tune them to of course) but many tend to be a bit on the fragile side.

i suggest reading some pro/con and experience reviews to get an idea if a certain product is good for you. in-person listening if you have an in-store display near you would be even better.

Ah, forgot the moovmic was a thing!
Modmics are generally quite pricy hence why with a $100 budget I was concerned about going that route, generally a bit more budget is required.
What I meant with the overcomplicating was just straight listing out every headphone in the price range that could be found rather than giving a few distinct suggestions targeted at the individual.
I'd go with the HD 518s mentioned above and a Moovmic, that's a great price.

oh i agree, a modmic in a $100 budget is often not the best idea outside of someone who is more focused on recording quality vs audible quality. i've had a few people willing to spend $100 on a mic in the past but any $20 headphones were more than sufficient. then i've seen people spend $90 on a headphone and $5 on a mic. everyone has their preferences i suppose.

carpet bombing with a big list of headphones can be helpful if we are not sure what kind of headphones or headset the user would prefer. such a list however would be easier to sort through if general characteristics of the headphones were given (such as i vaguely described) as headphones you're not interested in can be crossed of quicker. we are not mind readers and have no idea what everyone would think sounds good. if we get details such as "i like this kind of music", "i dont like flat cans" or "i want something which can do xyz better" its easier to give more specific advice. as far as this thread is concerned all we know is that he/she wants a mic+headphones (headset), that the budget is $100 and he/she likes surround sound.

personally i could never use a gaming headset, i dont care for the audio signature they are tuned for and after owning better headphones they sound rather bad. to each their own though - my opinion likely differs from others. some people are more than happy with razer, corsair, logitech or brand xyz product.

Ditto, most are bass heavy and lacking in terms of clarity, the only real somewhat good headsets i've used in terms of sound quality are the Sennheiser Game Zero which I use when I go to LANs and the PC373D.
Razer's headsets are a bit of a joke in regards to sound though!

Chug:
Agreed re some headsets mentioned or otherwise being overpriced & lacking in quality; more or less it's the main point of my post. Re the mic, I mentioned the v-moda pro, (sadly now going for $30 btw, not the $20ish I recall), more as a reference rather than a suggestion for a sub $100 DIY headset, as it's still ubiquitous & not a bad mic. My intention wasn't to post an over-complicated reply, btw, sry if you felt that way.


SSDDX:
I was unaware of the moovmic altogether, thanks for mentioning it. And you're right, sound sig wasn't mentioned at all, lol. I've learned some since rediscovering interest in headphones & audio not long ago, but I'm always grateful to listen to those far more learned than I. Thanks & much appreciated!

as for headphones, if you want a more "neutral" signature, the hd518 would do that. it has just a little more bass than neutral. they are a little "slow" sounding compared to some others but at the same time this makes them not fatiguing so listening to them for long hours are no problem. the shp9500 as mentioned earlier might also work though it probably is a bit brighter based on what i've read (i'm not as familiar with this model).

sorry, i can not compare it against the arctis 5 as i've never heard that one.

the hyper x would also work.

i'll let the others compare any 'gaming headsets' from other brands

The Arctis 5 are a good all round option, they sound quite a bit clearer than the Cloud series with a more neutral W shaped curve in my brief listening.
I gave one a test that we put out to demo at the small PC store I run, and it seemed to be pretty good value for money at the price.

would you say its similar to the v2 in quality?

In terms of sound signature, yes, it also has a slightly wider sound stage.
However i'd say the bass and mids are quite a bit clearer compared to the v2 which clears up one of my main criticisms of it.

It is not.
However it gives you much better sound quality and still has a mic which you can add on.

the hd558 is a good all-rounder.

fairly neutral sound signature, decent soundstage, decent comfort. the hdxxx series tends to be laid back so might be a bit slow to some but you can listen to them for hours without getting fatigued which makes them popular. the hd558 is a popular choice for gaming for people that would rather have something a bit more full sounding than bass light headphones (like the ad500x which is also picked for gaming)

its hard to know everyones taste, but the hd558 is a good choice for most.